The persimmon honey ginger tart is a straightforward and elegant dessert for the winter season! The honey and ginger glaze enhances the natural sweet characteristics of the persimmon, and the custard cream filling provides a nice contrast in texture to the delicate, flaky and crunchy puff pastry tart shell.
PUFF PASTRY TART SHELLS
Puff pastry is a quick and easy way to make delicate and crunchy tarts. You can find them in the freezer aisle of the grocery store. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a cookie cutter, create a 4-inch bottom layer, then poke several holes into the dough to prevent the dough from rising too much as it bakes.
For the top layer, cut a 4 inch round, then using a 3″ round, cut a hole out of the center of the 4″ round. Transfer the cutout shells to your baking sheets. Brush the puff pastry with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water). Bake the puff pastry shells until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
The bottom of the tart shell rises as it bakes, so pressing the center gently with a fork makes more room for the custard filling and fruit topping.
CUSTARD FILLING AKA PASTRY CREAM
Custard cream is my absolute favorite filling for any cake or pastry! To make the custard filling for the tarts, heat milk in a medium saucepan with vanilla bean. When the milk reached 90°F/ 32°C, stir in 3 ounces (120g) of sugar.
Allow the milk to come to a boil (simmer and bubble around the edges). In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining sugar with the cornstarch. Place the egg yolk in a separate bowl and add the cornstarch and sugar mixture. Whisk thoroughly to combine, leaving no residual cornstarch.
In the bowl containing the egg mixture, temper the egg yolk mixture with the hot milk.
Return the egg mixture to the pan and cook, whisking vigorously until the cream boils and is well thickened.
The custard should not have residual starch flavor, so make sure to taste the custard during the cooking and thickening to ensure the starch is fully cooked. The custard should be creamy, thick, sweet and aromatic from the vanilla beans.
Remove the filling from the heat and chill over an ice bath. Once cooled, transfer the custard to a bowl or pastry bag, cover and keep refrigerated until ready to use. When cooled, fill each tart shell with a generous amount of custard filling.
THE PERSIMMON
Persimmons are ready to eat when the outside shell is slightly soft when you press the skin. Fuyu persimmons can be eaten raw so that you can enjoy the fruit either crunchy or soft. However, the more time the persimmon has to ripen the sweeter and more honey-like the flavor.
To prepare the persimmon slices, cut the fruit into quarters, then remove the skin from the fruit. Thinly slice the persimmons to about 1/8 to 1/4 inch wedges.
Arrange the persimmon slices into a cylindrical fan on top of the custard filling.
HONEY GINGER GLAZE
In a small saucepan, steep ginger in the water and honey mixture over medium-low heat, until the mixture reduces by half (1/8 cup). The glaze should be slightly thinner than the honey so that it can be easily brushed on top of the persimmons, yet sticks to the fruit. Generously coat the persimmon slices with the warmed honey ginger glaze
The honey and ginger glaze enhances the natural sweet characteristics of the persimmon, and the custard cream filling provides a nice contrast in texture to the delicate, flaky and crunchy puff pastry tart shell.
The persimmon honey ginger tart is a straightforward and elegant dessert for the winter season!
PERSIMMON HONEY GINGER TART
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
The persimmon honey ginger tart is a straightforward and elegant dessert for the winter season! The honey and ginger glaze enhances the natural sweet characteristics of the persimmon, and the custard cream filling provides a nice contrast in texture to the delicate, flaky and crunchy puff pastry tart shell.
INGREDIENTS
Persimmon Honey Ginger Tart-
- 2 persimmons
- 1 package puff pastry sheets , Pepperidge Farms
- 1 egg , egg wash for brushing (1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water)
Custard Filling-
- 1 liter milk , whole
- 1 vanilla bean , split
- 180 grams egg yolk
- 225 grams sugar
- 75 grams cornstarch
- 60 grams butter
Honey Ginger Glaze-
- 1 slice ginger , ¼” thick
- 1/8 cup honey
- 1/8 cup water
INSTRUCTIONS
Puff Pastry Tart Shell-
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Unfold puff pastry sheet on the work surface covered with parchment paper. It is best to cut the tart shells out when the puff pastry is semi frozen, so it is easy to unroll, cut and layer onto your baking sheet.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie cutter, create a 4-inch bottom layer, then poke several holes into the dough to prevent the dough from rising too much as it bakes. Brush with a thin coating of egg wash.
- For the top layer, cut a 4 inch round, then using a 3" round, cut a hole out of the center of the 4" round. Place on top of the base. Transfer the cut out shells to the baking sheet.
- Brush the puff pastry top with egg wash.
- Bake the puff pastry shells until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Custard Filling-
- Heat milk in a medium saucepan with vanilla bean.
- When the milk reached 90°F/ 32°C, stir in 3 ounces (120g) of sugar.
- Allow the milk to come to a boil (simmer and bubble around the edges).
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cream and sugar with the cornstarch.
- Place the egg yolk in a separate bowl and add the cornstarch and sugar mixture. Whisk thoroughly to combine, leaving no residual cornstarch.
- In the bowl containing the egg mixture, temper the egg yolk mixture with the hot milk. Return the egg mixture to the pan and cook, whisking vigorously until the cream boils and is well thickened. The custard should not have a residual starch flavor.
- Remove the filling from the heat, transfer to a bowl and chill over an ice bath, once cooled, cover and keep refrigerated until ready to use. If the custard solidifies after cooling, place the custard in a mixing bowl, then using the whip attachment, beat the mixture until smooth.
Honey Ginger Glaze-
- In a small saucepan, steep ginger in the water and honey mixture over medium-low heat, until the mixture reduces by half (1/8 cup). The glaze should be slightly thinner than the honey so that it can be easily brushed on top of the persimmons, yet sticks the fruit.
Tart Assembly-
- Fill each tart shell with a generous amount of custard filling.
- To prepare the persimmon slices, cut the fruit into quarters, then remove the skin from the fruit. Thinly slice the persimmons to about 1/8 to 1/4 inch wedges.
- Arrange the persimmons slices into a cylindrical fan on top of the custard filling.
- Generously glaze the persimmon slices with the warmed honey ginger glaze.
more recipes www.jessicagavin.com